MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Strategic command and staff exercises involving about 30,000 personnel and over 3,800 pieces of military hardware have started in Russia to practice troop control, the Defense Ministry’s press office reported on Tuesday.

"The training exercise involves a surprise combat readiness check of the Airborne Forces by decision of the supreme commander-in-chief. The check will assess the capabilities of the Airborne Force Command for exercising command and control of a joint force grouping upon the accomplishment of assigned missions," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The combat readiness check also involves military-transport and tactical aviation task forces," the ministry’s press office said.

The surprise combat readiness check has engaged about 30,000 troops, over 3,800 pieces of combat hardware and more than 100 aircraft.

Specifically, tactical aviation aircraft will practice missions to provide air support for troops with practical bombing at the Totskoye training range. Military-transport and army aviation will airdrop operational and tactical airborne forces at the Totskoye, Pesochnoye and Seltsy training ranges and the Klokovo aerodrome.